Fort George Magnanimous IPA: Brewed with Fir Tips

Fort George is preparing to launch Magnanimous IPA for its second annual release. While we've got plenty of IPAs in the Northwest, this one is unique. Magnanimous is brewed with actual fir tips. I expect that will take piney hop flavors to a new level! The fir tips were picked by hand in May, and stored for several months until the beer was brewed.

This isn't the first time Fort George brewed a beer with evergreen. Back in 2010, they released North the Fourth, made with spruce tips, cranberries, and candy canes. I even interviewed Jack Harris about this unique beer.

While I love hops, I'm intrigued by the use of ingredients that aren't typically used in beer. As a homebrewer, I'm always on the lookout for unusual ingredients. I'm in the process of reading Brewing Local, a new book by Stan Hieronymus. It's giving me lots of excellent ideas for future homebrews!

In the meantime, look for Magnanimous IPA at your favorite beer store. It will be available October 5 until it runs out! For more details, check out the news release below.

Magnanimous IPA is a yearly offering from Fort
George, reaching homes and pubs throughout the Northwest in early fall. But
this seasonal beer brewed with Grand Fir trimmings actually starts in late May.
That is when the Christmas trees at Earth & Sky Farm in Oregon City show
their new, soft green growth. And it’s also when Tim Ensign and Jana
Daisy-Ensign invite everyone out to the farm to harvest the fir for this winter
collaboration with Fort George.

“We put a call out to friends and family in the
beer community when the fir tips are ready,” explains Brad Blaser who works on
the marketing team. “It’s pretty hot out there at that time of year, but Tim
& Jana at Earth & Sky are great hosts. Barbecue, plenty of drinks,
someone even brought a guitar to play while we picked. Your hands smell like
trees for a day, but it’s a lot of fun with a really nice group of people.”

Hundreds of pounds of fir tips were picked, packed,
and vacuum sealed into 10 lb. bags. These were quickly loaded up, driven back
to Astoria, and delivered to a dedicated chest freezer located in the basement
of Fort George co-owner Chris Nemlowill’s home. There they rested, tucked away until
the brewery said it was time.

“I am happy to get that fir out of my basement,”
Chris adds. “But I’m even more excited to taste a pint of Magnanimous IPA
again.”